boubou

Where does the word "boubou" come from? It comes from Wolof mbubb, passing through French before entering English (1900s).

Boubou’s story begins in Wolof: mbubb meant “a loose, flowing robe.” Named the loose, ankle-length robe worn across the Sahel. By 1800s-1900s, the word had taken hold in French as boubou. Respelled in French as colonial Senegal adopted the Wolof term for the garment. It reached English by 1900s as boubou. Entered English fashion vocabulary describing the same flowing West African garment. Today, boubou means a wide, flowing robe or caftan worn across West Africa, especially in Senegal.

1. Stage 1 · Wolof · traditional mbubb "a loose, flowing robe", named the loose, ankle-length robe worn across the Sahel.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1800s-1900s boubou "a flowing West African robe", respelled in French as colonial Senegal adopted the Wolof term for the garment.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1900s boubou "a loose, flowing West African robe or caftan", entered English fashion vocabulary describing the same flowing West African garment.